The octagonal steeple of the Église de Saint Jean Baptiste can be seen from all around, and is the town's most distinctive symbol.
The massive, fortress-like church stands on the Rue Gambetta, the main shopping street. Before it was re-named to commemorate the statesman Léon Gambetta, in the late 19th century, it was simply known as La Grande Rue.
The fairy-tale belltower is the prettiest part of the church, and I am lucky enough to have this view of it across the rooftops, from my 4th floor flat
The open staircase leads to the galleries or "tribunes" in the nave.
The royal wedding, which cemented the alliance between the two old enemies, France and Spain, was a huge affair of state. For several months Saint Jean de Luz was the capital of France, with the entire Royal Court on hand for the occasion.
Thousands of people streamed to the tiny, backward fishing port, which was quite unprepared for the event. Fighting often broke out among haughty courtiers and foreign ambassadors for even the humblest lodgings.
The church has wooden galleries on either side to accommodate extra people, but they didn't exist in 1660 and there was much competition to get a seat for the wedding too. Not even the wall we see here on the left had been built, so that a huge cloth had to be hung to cover the gap. It was artistically painted to show what the wall would look like when completed.
Notice the scale model of a sailing vessel hanging in the center of the nave...
...which is an ex-voto commemorating a shipwreck in which the passengers, including the Empress Eugenie (wife of Napoleon III) were miraculously saved. The paddle wheel attached to the side shows that it had been adapted for the steam age.
The streets were unpaved in the 17th century, and always filthy, due to the lack of sewage and passage of horses and mules. In preparation for the royal wedding, to protect the bride and groom from the slimy melange of mud and manure, a passway or ramp was built of planks, about a yard high.
It went from the Maison de l'Infante to the church door. When the king and his bride paraded along it, they tossed specially minted coins to the cheering populace.
The main door is on the side of the church, in the neo-Gothic style.
At the time of the wedding, the church did not yet have a door. A provisional one had to be cut so that the royals could enter the half-finished building with decorum. It was sealed up later on and marked with a memorial plaque.
The rue Gambetta is famous in the region - among ladies, mainly - for its fashion boutiques.
There are still several old-time food businesses, thankfully, such as the Boucherie des Familles. This Basque butcher shop cures its own hams in the Aldudes Valley, in the nearby Pyrenees, and the quality is excellent. Just ask for "jambon de la maison" and you'll see!
Côte Basque Ciboure Ascain Sarre Pau Landes Bidart Anglet Urrugne Bayonne Biarritz Hendaye Biriatou Socorri Saint Jean Pied de Port Donibane Gascogne Lohizune Lohitzune location vente immobilier gîte maison hotel restaurant